I write about the things I love. Mostly.

Birthday in Bali 2013 (Part 2)

Ubud, a town in central Bali, is far removed from the beach party scene in Kuta, and is regarded as the cultural centre of Bali. It is famous as an arts and crafts hub, and much of the town and nearby villages seems to consist of artists’ workshops and galleries.

We stayed at a hotel in Ubud called Alam Jiwa. It was one of the most serene, tranquil place I have ever had the pleasure of staying. It’s not luxurious but it’s very comfortable. It has such a beautiful “Balinese” feel to it. The staff were kind, friendly and very helpful. It was so restful I could have stayed happily for so much longer.

The place also boasts of a good size pool which most guest don’t use, so it was like our very own private pool.

Guestrooms and suites are intimately housed in individual villas. We stayed in an upper level room overlooking the neighboring rice paddies.

Wayan Bolang, that’s our driver’s name in Bali. We thought it would be easy for us to find him in case we get lost given his unique name only to find out almost everyone’s name is Wayan. They only use 4 names in Bali. Since most Balinese are Hindus, most names are Sanskrit, while others still use native Balinese one. Regardless of being male or female, each person receives one of four names based on birth order. There are four names in Balinese culture that are repeated frequently. The firstborn is “Wayan” or “Gede” or “Putu”, second is “Made” or “Kadek”, third is “Nyoman” or “Komang” (Man or Mang for short), and fourth is “Ketut” (often elided to Tut).